1 After a person relieves himself
in the course of the day, whether he urinates or eliminates, [after washing his
hands] he should recite the blessing Asher Yatzar.1
However, he does not have to2 [first] recite the blessing
Al netilas yadayim — even if his hands were soiled, such as if he used them
to brush off [spattered urine] or to clean himself, and even if he desires to study
or pray immediately afterwards.

Although when there is water available he may
not pray unless he washes his hands, our Sages did not ordain that a blessing be
recited over washing the hands, except in the morning,3 for then one is comparable
to a newly-created being, as explained in sec. 4[:1, 14], and when one washes before
eating [bread], so that [washing before partaking of] terumah becomes habitual.4

2 When a person urinates, does
not brush off [any drops of urine with his hands], and is careful not to touch his
organ, he is not required to wash his hands at all,5 even if he desires to pray
immediately. Nevertheless, it is proper for him to wash his hands before he studies
or mentions the Divine name, as implied by the verse,6 “Prepare to greet your
G‑d, O Israel.”7

3 A person who urinates and forgets
to recite the blessing Asher Yatzar,8 even though he diverts
his mind from urinating further before later deciding to urinate again, is not required9 to recite the blessing
Asher Yatzar twice; one recitation suffices for both times. To what can this
be compared? To a person who ate, diverted his attention from eating but forgot
to recite the Grace after Meals, and later changed his mind and ate again. He is
not required to recite the Grace after Meals twice; one recitation also covers his
earlier meal.10

4 There is no minimum amount:
one is obligated to recite the blessing even for one drop [of urine].11 For were the organ to
be closed and unable to excrete that drop, this would be stressful. He must therefore
offer thanks.

Accordingly, when a person desiring to go to the
synagogue to pray or desiring to eat first checks whether he will need to urinate,
even if he expels even a slight amount he must recite the blessing Asher Yatzar
[in appreciation] for the opening of the apertures.

6 A person who drank a laxative
with the intention of clearing his intestinal tract completely does not divert his
attention from this process until it is complete. Until that time, therefore, he
should not recite the blessing Asher Yatzar.

7 [The following rule applies]
if one forgot to recite a blessing [of thanksgiving] after having eaten something,
and later, after urinating, recalled [his obligation regarding that earlier blessing]
before reciting the blessing Asher Yatzar: He should first recite Asher
Yatzar and only then the other blessing, for a frequent obligation takes precedence
over a less frequent one.12

Darchei Moshe, sec. 92. In any case washing is required after
a visit to the lavatory, preferably with water poured from a container over each
hand three times alternately; see sec. 4:18 above, and footnotes there.

If he remembers his obligation to recite the blessing
before he feels the need to relieve himself again, he should recite the blessing
even after a long time has elapsed. If, however, he feels the need to relieve himself
a second time, he should relieve himself and then recite the blessing, having in
mind that it should cover both obligations (Mishnah Berurah 7:1).

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